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Yusra Farzan
What I cover
I report on issues affecting students (prospective and current), their families and communities. Some big questions I am pondering on this beat: who are higher education institutions set up to serve? Who determines who has access to these institutions? How is changing technology affecting higher education? Is access to higher education a ticket to a different trajectory in life?
My background
I didn’t think about university up until I graduated high school. Neither of my grandparents nor parents had completed college. We were residents in the UAE and that residency was dependent on my dad holding down his job. A college degree was a nice to have, not a need to have in my family. And it was only thanks to a combination of luck (Sri Lanka’s civil war ended), grit (I balanced 3 freelance jobs and a paid internship) and sheer determination (I dodged countless marriage proposals) that I graduated with a degree.
And it’s these forces that led me to complete my master’s in race and social justice reporting from USC almost a decade later. (Add a 2-year-old to the mix and grieving the sudden death of my mother.)
I previously covered Orange County for LAist.
My goals
I want to find what works and expose what doesn't, and help students and their families find solutions to their problems.
Best way to reach me
Covering Southern California’s universities and community colleges can be a lot, so I need your help in being my eyes and ears on the ground. If you have a tip, you can email me at yfarzan@laist.com or on Signal at username: @yusramf.25
Stories by Yusra Farzan
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The tradition of iftar is thriving in SoCal during Ramadan. Here's what it's like to be at the tableTwo LAist colleagues attend iftar to break the Ramadan fast together with a Palestinian family in Rowland Heights.
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City officials say the findings don’t bode well for the landslide complex when heavier rains inevitably come.
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Claude Parrish, who took office in 2015, was told to cease and desist following a confidential report LAist obtained through a public records request.
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Land movement has taken a heavy toll on the area’s main thoroughfare. The city plans to study the idea of a toll road but hasn't yet made any decisions, and residents will have a chance to weigh in before they do.
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The tornado early Thursday lasted 2 minutes and was around 1 mile long and 80 yards wide, officials confirmed.
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As predicted, rainfall rates peaked between late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.
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Suhoor parties, Egyptian TV shows galore, late night Qiyam prayers and Yemeni coffee have become integral parts of the Islamic holy month.
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This week's rain storm is expected to be strong enough to cause debris flows in and around recently burned areas.
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“I can't sleep. I cry every day. I'm really nervous.”
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Mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration could be eligible for the relief.
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Federal funds can be used toward home repairs and other expenses like childcare, but you must apply by the end of March.
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That incident is one of numerous complaints of alleged mismanagement against Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector Shari Freidenrich.
